Washing machine



Aug. 19, .1930. A. w. ALTORFER WASHING MACHINE FledDCt. 3l, 1928 A INVERTER- Patented Aug. 19, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .ALPHEUS W. ALTORFEB, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, TO ALTORFER BROS. COM- PANY, OF EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS WASHING MACHINE Application led October 81,1928. Serial No. 318,147.

This invention has reference to agitators and particularly to that type employed in washing machines for domestic usel The invention has for its principal obj ect to improve that type of agitator structure, where theagitator is employed immediatel above the bottom of the washing machine tu and having radially arranged upstanding wings, vanes or blades to agitate the water and articles to be cleansed and which is provided with an upstanding tubular stem extending to a point above the normal water level in the tub and into which extends the driving shaft which passes up through the tub bottom.

An important object of the present invention, is the application of power to the agita! tor within the agitator and directly thereto in a plane horizontal with the plane of movement of the wings, vanes or blades thereof, thereby transferring the torque to the said wings, vanes or blades in close proximity to the actual point of the application of power, which will eliminate the torque or strain in the stem rising from the agitator body, which said torque is ever present when and in the event the application of power is applied direct to the upper end of the agitator stem.

A'further object of the invention is to suspend the agitator body from the top of a floating sleeve, whereby the body of the agitator is next adjacent the tub bottom and to provide clutching means on vthe lower end of said sleeve and within the agitator body to operatively connect the agitator to said sleeve, the agitator being bodily and vertically movable to clutch and declutch said agitator with said sleeve; a shaft passing up through the bottom of the tub and arranged for connection with suitable power means being adapted for operative connection at its upper end with said floating sleeve.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this description, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Fig. l is a top plan View of an agitator embodying my invention within a washing machine tub, the latter partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through theagitator and parts associated therewith, including the washing machine tub;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly in section, of lthe floating sleeve showing the clutching means at the base thereof adapted for clutch connection with complementary means within the agitating body, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail, in plan, as the same would appear if taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

The washing machine tub is designated l, preferably square in outline and with lower curved sides, which terminate in an off-set bottom 2 having an enlarged central opening 3 therein. A sub-bottom 4 is provided which covers the opening 3 and on the olf-set bottom 2, which may or may not form a part of said sub-bottom 4, is an annular drain-ring 5 having radial passageways 6 to direct water from the tub proper over the sub-bottom 4 lwhere it may have exit, when it is desired,

through a drain-cock 7, in manner well understood. The periphery of tlie-drain-ring 5 is spaced inwardly from the olf-set bottom 2 to receive an annular depending flange of an agitator body, whereby clothing and other articles, being washed, are prevented from getting under the agitator body. This form v of tub bottom and drain are not essential in the carrying out or functioning of the within described invention in agitators, but merely shows one form ofstructure which may be employed.

The sub-bottom 4 is provided axially with a central hub structure 8, which as will be understood, would form a part of or be associated with the tub bottom 2, -were not the particular structure shown employed, and eX- tending up from such bottom is a tubular gland 9 which preferably terminates at a point above the normal water level in the tub. The lower end of said gland is shown in this instance threaded into the hub structure 8 and with an overlying iange 10 between which and the kbottom is inserted a suitable gasket l1 to provide a water seal. The upper surface of said ange 10 is provided with an off-set 12 to provide a seat for the lower end of a floating sleeve 13 which encloses the upstanding gland 9 and extends to a point above said gland and has an o verlying head portion 14 formed or provided with an interiorly arranged squared or other suitably formed opening 15. The lower end of the gland 9 is provided for a short distance with an eXteriorly fashioned bearing surface 16, to provide a bearing for the lower end of the floating sleeve 13 and on which 1t rotates.

Extending up through the tub bottom 1s a shaft I17, which may have operative connection with an suitable driving parts or mechanism there eneath, not shown, and said shaft has a journal bearing within and at the top of the gland 9, and removably connected with the upper end of said shaft is a squared or other suitably formed or shaped member 18, which is adapted to have a complementary relationfwith the opening 15 in the floating sleeve 13, when and at the time said sleeve is telescoped into position, within thetub, and over the gland 9, which it encloses, as shown. The floating sleeve 13 is provided at or approximate its lower end With an annular hub 19, which preferably is disposed radially 1n the plane of the bearingv surface 16 on the gland 9 and in the periphery of said hub is provided a plurality of radially disposed notches or seats 20 Which form or provide elements of complementary clutch members between said floating sleeve and an agitator body, which I shall now describe. |The agitator body is preferably an annular plate member .21 provided with the flange 22 at its periphery adapted, when in operative osition in the tub, to have a seating relation Between the off-set in the bottom 2 and the drain-ring 5, as seen in Fig. 2. Said body is formed or provided with a plurality of upstanding Wings, vanesy or blades 23 which terminate centrally of the body in a depending tubular hub member 24. This structure implies an agitator which is hollowed out substantially on its underneath side, including the Wings, vanes or blades and as best seen in Fig. 2, which permits the formation of the depending hub 24 within the'agitator body. Extending down within this hub and brazed or otherwise suitably connected thereto is a tubular stem 25, which said stem extends from above the hub 24 and the body of the agitator'to a suitable point thereabove and the o en end of the stem closed by a cap 26 braze or otherwise suitablyconnected thereto. This stem is of such a length, that when the agitator body is in operative position it is suspended from the u per end of the floating sleeve 13, with the body of the agitator rotatable next adjacent the tub bottom, see-Fig. 2. The cap 26 is formed or provided interiorly with a shouldered portion 27 to provide a seat for the cap and stein on the floating sleeve and. to space the upper end of said stem in relation to said floating sleeve. The hub 24 is provided interiorly with a plurality of radially and inwardly projecting lugs 28, which, when the agitator is placed in position are caused to enter the notches 2O in the hub of the floating sleeve 13 and thereby clutch the agitator body directly to the sleeve 13, thus power is applied directly to the agitator body and in the plane ofthe application or transmission of the avitation by the agitator to the body of tie Water and materials to be cleansed.

It Will be understood that in the assembly of the parts the gland 9 has a fixed position, although it is removable, and that the shaft 17 has a bearing relation therein with the member 18 secured to the upper end of said shaft. The floating sleeve 13 has a removable telescopic relation With the gland 9 and revolves thereon, having connection with the member 18 through the complementary opening 15 in the upper end thereof. These. parts in position, it is readilyunderstood that the agitator body and its stem 25 may be easily and quickly positioned by telcscoping thc stem over the floating sleeve to rest thereon and be suspended therefrom and clutch connecting the complementary elements 20 of the floating sleeve and 28 of the agitator body. In like manner, but reversed, the parts may be disconnected and detached for cleaning or packing for shipment.

IVhat I claim is 1. In a Washing machine, in combination, a tub, a shaft extending up into the tub to a point above the normal Water level in the tub, an agitator operative in a normal fixed position next adjacent the bottom of the tub and having a stem surrounding said shaft throughout the length thereof within the tub, transmission Vmeans Within said stem and operatively connected with the upper end of said shaft, and means for directly connecting said transmission means to said agitator Within and to the body thereof and in a plane horizontal with the plane of movement of the agitation means.

2. In a Washing machine, in combination, a. tub, a shaft passing up through the bottom of the tub and extending to a point above the normal Water level in the tub, an agitator disposed in anormal fixed position next adjacent the body of the tub and having radiallydis'posed upstanding agitation blades and a stem surrounding said shaft throughout the length thereof within the tub, a sleeve member Within said stem, means to operatively connect said sleeve member with the upper end of said shaft, and complementary clutch arts on said sleeve member and Within the Ibody of said agitator, whereby rotative power is applied directly to the agitator in a plane horizontal with the plane of move- Y ment of its agitation means.

3. In a washing machine, in combination, a tub, a shaft passing up through the bottom of the tub to a oint above the normal water level in the tu a tubular gland providing a housing for the shaft, a Water seal at the base of the gland, a-driving member at th'e top of the shaft, a sleeve rotatable on the gland and adaptedl for removable driving connection with said driving member, an agltator including a body ada ted when operative to be disposed-next adJacent the bottom of the tub and having a stem to encase said gland and sleeve, means at the upper end of the stem whereby to suspend the agitator in operative position from the upper end of said sleeve, and complementary clutching means within the agitator body and on the lower end portion of said sleeve for rotating the agitator from the lower end of said sleeve.

4. In a washing machine, in combination,

a tub, a shaft passing up through the bottom of the tub to a oint above the normal water level in the tu a tubular gland providing a housin for the shaft, a Water seal at the base of t e gland, a driving member at the to of the shaft, a sleeve rotatable on the glan and adapted for removable driving connection with said driving member, an agitator including a body ada ted when operative to be disposed next adjacent the bottom of the tub and having a depending axiallydisposed hub portion, a tubular stemV i rising from said hub and connected therewith and providing a casing enclosing said gland and sleeve, means at the upper end of said stem whereby to suspend the agitator in operative sleeve, an complementary clutching means on the said agitator hub and on the lower end portion of said sleeve for rotating the agitator from the lower end of said sleeve.

5. In a washing machine, in combination, a tub, a shaft disposed centrally of the tub and extending up through the bottom thereof to a point above the normal water level in the tub, a non-floating agitator comprising a disk-like body operative next adjacent the bottom of the tub and having an upstanding tubular sleeve surrounding said shaft throughout the length thereof within the tub, and means to oscillate said agitator having a driving connection with the upper end of said shaft and an operative connection .with the agitator within the disk-like body thereof and at a point near the lower end of said shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal this 25th day of October,

ALPHEUS W. ALT ORFER.

position from the upper end of saidv 

